Matt Van Dyke is the Director of Sports Science for the Houston Texans. Matt is responsible for the management of training loads and other performance aspects implemented to each individual athlete in order to maximise performance and readiness. Prior to his position with Houston, Matt was the Associate Director of Applied Sports Science at the University of Texas where he was responsible for the oversight of the football team in regard to training loads and recovery processes applied in order to create an optimal level of performance. Matt has also held leading positions with the University of Denver and the University of Minnesota.
Matt has published several books on sports science, including Force is King, Isometrics for Performance and Applied Principles of Optimal Power Development with Max Schmarzo, and Triphasic Lacrosse Training Manual. He presented at the 2018 RAWO Performance Clinic on the Implementation of an Effective Annual Plan to Achieve Optimal Performance and 2015 CSCCa National Conference on Advanced Triphasic Training Methods. Matt also co-authored Triphasic Training, A High School Strength and Conditioning Manual and Balance of Power in the September 2014 issue of Training and Conditioning, and has articles on xlathlete.com, while also writing for his professional website vandykestrength.com. Matt is certified by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (SCCC). He earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Iowa State University in December of 2012.
It is likely that all coaches have heard the phrase “there are a million ways to skin a cat” when discussing training methods implemented. Pick up any social media platform these days and you are certain to see multiple “new” variants to training methods scroll across your screen. In some instances, this can become overwhelming with the goal of attempting to fit every one of these variations into a training program. We, as coaches, must consiste...